Play then Pay?

[GARRICK]

gave up buying local here in minnesota on anything over 7-800.00 they are usualy 20% higher here with out the sales tax so i do not even try.. I buy my print paper and my ink local and small items like filters

camera bags etc. i always give them a chance to get close to the price on the larger items but they cant. last item i priced out was a 300mm 2.8 3900.00 at
b&h 4900.00 at local store before sales tax.

gary

 

[mmmcheese]

When trying to decide which body I wanted (it was a toss up between the 400D and the 30D), I walked down to best buy and played with them to see how they felt in my hand. I also got a chance to play with some of Nikon's offerings as well to make sure I wasn't overlooking something. I ended up buying online a month or so later. I don't feel bad about it.

As for lenses, you can't really get a good feel if it's what you're looking for with a couple minutes in the store. There's a place locally that rents lenses per day, and that'd give me a better idea if the lens is for me or not. In this case, they are getting the rental price from me anyway. If the price is close enough, I'd buy it there (and they subtract the rental charge from the price of the lens)....if not, then I'd buy online.

Just as a matter of interest, how many people here go to their local
camera store to test/try a lens out and then go back home and order
it over the Internet from another store?

Cheers,
Finn.

 

[Gene L.]

I usually wait for peer and professional reviews of a lens and then purchase via the Internet based on that.

I buy some things locally, but can't afford the prices they charge for lenses. So far all of my lenses have been keepers.

-Gene L.
http://ttl-biz.com

 

[pixseal]

Just as a matter of interest, how many people here go to their local
camera store to test/try a lens out and then go back home and order
it over the Internet from another store?

Never for a camera body or lens. I've usually handled one before purchasing (a friend's) and then went on-line to buy it.

I have, however, "played" with items at a local store and then "paid" on-line for the same item. But, I didn't occupy the salesman's time, nor did I remove an item from its packaging. The last item that I "played" with was a lens backpack (which I bought on-line), but before I left the store I bought a $150 tripod accessory.
--
-Dave
http://pixseal.com

 

[filp]

I think this is going to be a two part post, my ISP seems to have a problem with the long message.

I don't think I've made my point to a few people so I'll try again.

Stores have an increased amount of overhead to maintain (typically), more staff, a premises, higher levels of insurance etc etc. So their stock typically costs more, but you get to talk to (hopefully) experts and handle the stock before you buy it. You also usually get a better returns process and I would think it's far less likely that it would go REALLY bad, there's only so long a store will put up with someone complaining about how they'd been treated badly and discouraging customers before they give into you. Plus you do tend to (or at least I do) build up a reputation with the store and if you have problems they usually want to help because they know you'll probably shop with them again in the future.

Internet based stores (typically) have lower overheads because they don't need lots of staff, expensive premise (if at all, Amazon started in his garage) and much lower insurance, so their stock typically costs less. But you usually do not get to seek advise or handle the equipment to see how it feels. Returns may be good but you do hear the horror stories about stores not returning emails, or just vanishing.

So, I am not saying that one store is better than the other in any way, they offer different services, one type of service is more expensive to provide so they have to charge more. I'm not saying you should always buy local, or you should never buy online. Or you shouldn't go to your local to get a price and try and get them to price match, that's all part of being a store (online or bricks and mortar) and commerce. I'm not saying to shouldn't do exhaustive research online your self, that's almost half the fun of getting something new. I'm also not saying that we have to be beyond reproach regarding this, I wouldn't think that someone about the buy online should have to scour every conversation that they've had with local stores to make sure they haven't gotten free advice.

What I am saying is that .... (please read the next message).

 

[filp]

What I am saying is that I find it hard to believe that people would go to a local store only to take advantage of the extended service they provide knowing full well that they will definitely be buying it online, usually on the same day! If you like the service your local store provides, access to gear, expert advise etc, I think you should then support the store and pay for the equipment there. Otherwise they're less likely to stay in business and then you wont have any local store to go to. It's the same argument for the big stores and little stores, going to the little store because it's run by a photographer who gives you excellent advice on what to purchase and then walking out the door to go to a huge chain store because they're a bit cheaper, because they've hired a 15 year old who would be luck if they own more than a camera phone.

Obviously these are just scenarios not certainties, many big chains do have knowledgeable staff, and many small stores are run by idiots. I just don't think we should use a store for the service they provide, then walk out the door and buy from some one else.

I didn't want to come off all high and mighty about this, although I'm sure I have after this post, I was just surprised to hear about people doing it so often and thought I would share my opinion. I'm not irritated that people do it, it's a free country and all that, I just wanted to maybe make people think about the consequences of they're actions.

Cheers,
Finn.

P.S. I don't own a camera store and I've never worked in retail, so I'm probably totally wrong.

 

[subroc]

I have never been in a proper camera store unless you call a Best Buy or Staples that has cameras a camera store. I buy everything over the internet based on research, reviews and perceived need.

I expect that while there may be good stores out there, my view is that sales people try to “sell” you. More often than not that sales process entails them clearing the shelves or up selling you.

I will make my own choices based on my own research and I will search for the price point.

If there is something wrong with it, the UPS store is closer than the camera store.

YMMV

 

[filp]

I feel you missed my point, sorry for not being clear enough.

 

[Ray Chen]

Just as a matter of interest, how many people here go to their local
camera store to test/try a lens out and then go back home and order
it over the Internet from another store?

Actually, There are times that I go to B&H's site and learn everything about a lens and then buy it locally. Driving costs more than hitting HTTP servers.

--
R.C.

 

[grammieb14]

I would never do that. I always get the best deal I can on a lens, but I don't try them out at a local store first. Barb
--
One day I'll learn how to post photos. I am 61 & technically challenged.

 

[Davesurfer]

Of all of my camera purchases I haven't tested or tried one in a local store. I do lots of research and then make an educated decision and buy it online. All of the local stores where I live do not even have a lot of the lenses that I want to try out anyways. And do I want a model that's been the "display" and tested out by hundreds of other goofs?

Especially since I live in Canada where are camera equipment is still outrageously priced compared to the US, I only buy online from the US. I just bought a 50L from B&H for 1184 where here in Canada it's $1699! Even with the prices lowering such a simple little great lens like the 50 1.4 is still $499.99 at Henry's when it's gone below $300 US at B&H.

If I get the product and for some reason it's not a good copy (which still hasn't happened) or is not what I need (never has happened yet as I always do insane research on what I DO need/want ) there is always great options for returning the item. I find that local stores offer very limiting options for return.

That said, I did play around with a 40D the other week at a London Drugs. I do want to buy one in about a half a years time and I just wanted to physically check it out. I don't feel too bad as London Drugs is huge chain store over hear and not the small mom&pop photo shop. I'd never buy it from them as it was $1599 CAN and on eBay there are US models selling for $979 CAN.

Even dealing with experienced photography expert salespeople isn't worth $600 price difference. I usually go into a store knowing what I want having researched for literally months...most of the time at these big chain/dept stores people go in for help on decisions...and they buy from that store and that's their perogative.

In Canada retailers will suffer and that's too bad because their hands are tied by the manufactures/distributors...but everyone passes on the complaints and something will eventually have to change: the customer doesn't buy and complains to the retailer which should in turn demand lower prices and complain to their manufactures and middle-men.

Anyways, sorry for the rambling, but I usually don't play then pay because they usually don't have what I want anyways and I already am pretty confident that I don't need to try it to know that I will like it. The 40D was just a curiousity.

 

[Davesurfer]

...another thing.

I do buy a lot of non-photography related products from London Drugs so I do support them. Also they WANT people to try out cameras and stuff in front of other people that are standing around...it attracts more customers that come and see what the fuss is about.

I used to work retail and I know for certain that a little group of people always attract more people and more people.

People trying out products in the store, instead of just looking or snatching and buying, attract more customers. They linger longer, and even though they might not buy that specific thing they will buy other products.

 

[niclas åberg]

If I can find it a lot cheaper online, and they can't pricematch (most of the time) that's standard procedure in my book. That goes for camera bodies, tripods and accessories, too.



Niclas

Just as a matter of interest, how many people here go to their local
camera store to test/try a lens out and then go back home and order
it over the Internet from another store?

Cheers,
Finn.

 

[niclas åberg]

As long as the most important thing for me, price, is so much higher in high street stores, that is exactly what I do. If that leads to online stores closing down the expensive high street store, so be it. Call it evolution! But I can't see why you shouldn't take advantage of being in this transition period.

Nic

What I am saying is that I find it hard to believe that people would
go to a local store only to take advantage of the extended service
they provide knowing full well that they will definitely be buying it
online, usually on the same day!